Haskap berry catching on with Yukon growers

Yukon growers are excited about a relatively new berry in the territory.

Haskap berries are common in Scandinavia and Russia. Over the past few years the popularity of the berry has significantly increased fruit production in the territory.

At the Yukon government's experimental farm, Matt Ball in the agriculture department sings the praise of the Haskap.

"I've never had a berry that I'm that excited about until now," Ball said.

This is the second year the farm is growing the berry and testing it out. The Haskapis winter hardy, gives lots of fruit and produces early in the summer.

Ball says it's ideal for the Yukon climate and it tastes good.

"The best way to describe the Haskap really and the flavoring of it and it's similar to sort of a blueberry and raspberry combined," Ball said.

"We're probably at about 30 acres of Haskap in the territory and to put that in perspective prior to this we had about 30 acres in all the other berries combined, raspberries, saskatoons, currents," he said.

The berries are already known at the Whitehorse farmer's market, they're in Yukon backyards and there's a Yukon made liquor.

Scott Snider sells Haskap plants at the city's farmer's market.

"I think it`s great, if you have to plant something at your house, especially up here, make it something you can eat," he said.